Fireproof window.



fNo. 7|6,l5l. Patented Dec. 16, I902.

F. VDIGTMANN&. S. H. POMEROY. FIREPBDOF WINDOW.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1902.)

(No Model.)

ms NORRIS PETERS co, Pnorourno. wnsnme'rou. n, r;

UNITE STATES FIREPRQOF wmoow.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,151, dated December16, 1902.

Applicationfiled January 20,1902. Serial No. 90.480. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Beitknown that we,FRANKVoIeTMANNand SILAS H. POMEROY, residents ofChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Windows, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fireproof windows and refersmore specifically to improvements in fireproof windows of that type inwhich the sash open and close by a sliding movement as distinguishedfrom pivoted or hinged constructions.

The object of the present invention is to provide a fireproof structurewhich may be opened or closed by the impact of a jet or stream of waterthrown thereagainst from a firemans hose, so that in the case of asudden fire which renders access to the window impossible the latter, ifopen, may be forced into closed position by directing a stream of wateragainst'the same.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a simple equipment foran ordinary fireproof window,which equipment may be either a partof thewindow as originally constructed or may be applied thereto after thewindow has been otherwise completed; to provide a construction of thecharacter referred to which will interfere with the diaphanous characterof the window to the least practicable extent; to provide a constructionwhich is devoid of recesses and cavities in which wa-- l ter and icemight lodge and be retained, and

in general to provide a simple and improved construction of thecharacter referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andthe same will be more readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure is aperspective view of a window and window-casing equippedwitha preferredembodiment of our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view takenon line 2 2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3is a perspective view of a modified form of the equipment which isadapted to be applied to a sash otherwise completed, and Fig. 4 is ahorizontal or transverse sectional view taken in a plane through thesashrail and equipment in the plane indicated by in, the latter beingdesignated as a whole 2 and 3, respectively. In the preferred embodimentof our invention said sashes are interconnected, by means of cables andpulleys, as indicated at 4, in such manner as to counterbalance eachother, this arrangement being a common one and well understood by thoseskilled in the artthat is to say, the cables 4 lead from the lower sashupwardly over pulleys 4, thence downwardly and around guide pulleys 4,and finally upwardly and over supporting-pulleys 4" and thence to theupper sash with which they are connected, it being understood that thepulley arrangement is duplicated on each side of the window-casing.

The sash 2 and 3 may likewise be of any suitable fireproof construction,that shown herein being one in which the frame or rail members of thesash are of hollow sheet-metal construction, as best indicated in Fig.4, while the glazing is of the ordinary fireproof wire-glass, asindicated at 5, it being understood that the glazing is held in positionby means of metal clips, which are not destructible by fire, one of saidclips being indicated at 6, Fig. 4.

7 designates as a-whole an impact device or attachment which constitutesthe essential and novel feature of the present combination. As shown inthe present instance, this attachment comprises a plurality of slat-likestrips secured in a suitable frame to extend across the upper portion ofeach sash and to stand in planes approaching a right angle to the faceof the glazing, but preferably inclined downwardly and outwardlyslightly, so as to shed water, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. Theobject of these impact strips or members, which are severally designated8 'and 9, is to form surfaces against which a stream of water thrownfrom a hose may act r to force the sash upwardly, and to this end thestrips are extended entirely across the upper portion of the sash andspaced at a short distance apart, while the outer margin of each stripis downturned to form a lip, as indicated at 10, which serves toadditionally confine the jet of water and impart the mo: mentu n1 of thewater more effectively to the sash. These impact-strips may be securedin suitable position in various ways; but in the preferred constructionshown herein their ends are joined with side frame members 11, which arein turn riveted or otherwise made rigid with the proximate faces of thesashrails, as shown clearly in the several figures of the drawings, andin order to reinforce and stiffen the impact strips an intermediateframe member or space-rod 12 is provided, which extends from the toprail of the sash downwardly through the strip 8 and into bearing withthe lower strip 9. Each attachment7 may be independently constructed, asshown in Fig. 3, as a complete attachment to be applied to the windowand suitably bolted or riveted in position, or it may be formedintegrally with the sash-rails when the sash is originally constructed.In either case the device is so disposed that the impact ribs or slatsproject outwardly from the outer face of the glazing in position to beacted upon by the stream of water, as described.

In the preferred embodiment of our construction, in which the upper andlower sash are arranged to counterbalance each other, as described, weprovide impact attachments for both the upper and lower sash, as shownclearly in Fig. l, the object of this arrangement being to enable thesash to be either opened or closedthat is to say, in the case of asudden fire, which renders access to the window impracticable orimpossible, the window, if open, may be closed by directing a stream ofwater from a firemans hose against the attachment applied to the uppersash, thereby forcing the latter upwardly and at the same time loweringthe lower sash. In the same manner after a fire, if the building is sofilled with smoke as to render it practically impossible to reach andopen the windows, the firemen may readily open the sash by simplydirecting a jet of water against the impact device of the lower sash,thus raising the latter and lowering the upper sash so that the smokemay escape.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the exact construction ofthe impact device is not essential, and that although its arrangement atthe upper ends of the respective sash is most conducive to securing thefull advantages and best results of the invention,yet, nevertheless, itmay be otherwise located and still be operative. This is especially truewhere it is desired to equip only one of the sash members with theimpact device. It will be further understood from the foregoing that theimpact members are not necessarily constructed in the form of slats orstrips, since differently-formed impact members might be provided forsecuring thesame results. The construction described herein is, however,deemed superior, for the reason that it interferes to the least possibleextent with the light passing through the window, is of sufficient areato be readily struck and acted upon by the firemen without calling forextreme accuracy, and is so arranged as to secure a very largeproportion of the full effect of the inertia of the stream of water.

We claim as our invention- 1. In combination with a sliding sash, animpact membersecured to theexteriorthereof, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fireproof window, the combination with the metal casing andfireproof sash arranged to slide therein, of an impact device secured tothe exterior of the window in position to be acted upon by anupwardly-directed jet of water, substantially as described.

3. In a fireproof window, the combination with the casing and a pair ofsliding sash arranged therein, and counterbalanced so as to move readilyinto closed position, of an impact device secured to the exterior of oneof said sash members, and interconnections whereby the sash are causedto move together.

4. In a fireproof window, the combination with the window-casing, and apair of sash arranged to slide therein and provided with cable andpulley connections whereby they counterbalance each other, of an impactdevice secured to the outer face of the upper part of the upper sash,for the purpose set forth.

5. In a fireproof window, the combination with the window-casing, ofupper and lower sash arranged to slide vertically therein, cable andpulley connections whereby said sash members act to counterbalance eachother and impact devices secured to the outer sides of both upper andlower sash members for the purpose set forth.

6. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for windows consistingof a frame adapted to be secured to the outer portion of the sash andone or more impact members rigidly mounted within said frame.

7. As a new article of manufacture, an impact device comprising a pairof side frame members and a plurality of slat-like members arranged toextend between and rigidly secured to said side frame members,substantially as described.

8. In a fireproof window, the combination with a casing and a sasharranged to slide therein, said sash being counterbalanced so as tomove'readily into closed position, and an impact device secured to theexterior of said sash, for the purpose set forth.

FRANK VOIGTMANN. SILAS H. POMEROY. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, FREDERICK O. GooDwIN.

